by Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY Sports

by Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY Sports

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Michael Phelps is trying to learn as much about golf as fast as he can.

He's learning a lot this week.

On Wednesday at the pro-am for the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Phelps walked to the first tee alongside Masters champion Bubba Watson.

Phelps had told people how nervous he would be throughout the pro-am, with the crowds providing pressure. As Phelps was about to hit his tee shot, Watson interrupted him at the last second, playfully trying to make sure Phelps knew how many people were in attendance. Shortly before 11:30 a.m. ET, following a frost delay, Phelps calmed himself down enough to hit a fine tee shot on the first hole as more than 2,000 fans looked on.

Earlier in the week, Phelps got an education at the Ping Fitting Center.

The most decorated Olympian in history - 22 medals, a record 18 Gold medals - has dived headfirst into golf. He agreed to be noted instructor Hank Haney's project this year and signed with Ping to play the company's clubs. It was at Ping that he was fitted for clubs for the first time.

"For me, through the whole Haney project, I have been able to really learn the game and learn how technical the game really is," Phelps told USA TODAY Sports. "At Ping, the clubs that I had, I needed to get them re-shafted and I needed some new grips. The shafts that I had were too light, so we needed something with a little bit more weight, and the grips that I had felt like sandpaper.

"It's amazing how much those little transitions are going to improve my game. I literally froze when I looked at the guy fitting me. I literally thought he was speaking a foreign language when he was talking about the different grips. It was really amazing. He's like this X 972QD is 30 grams wider than what this one is, and I was like, 'OK, sure.' It's something that's exciting for me to be able to learn more about this stuff so I know exactly what I need.

"I'm starting to get to that point where I understand that I need different shafts, and I know how to swing the club and know what works for me, and I know how my grip should be. I'm starting to understand the game a lot more."

Fitting could help golfers of all stripes. Industry experts and instructors the world over say up to 80% of players use either the wrong shaft, need new grips and use the wrong lofts in their drivers, metal woods and irons. Phelps, who played in the Wednesday's pro-am of the Waste Management Phoenix Open with reigning Masters champion Bubba Watson, was fitted for his new G25 driver, fairway woods, hybrids and irons. He'll also play the Tour Gorge Groove wedges and Scottsdale TR (True Roll) putter.

"The very first set I had I played with Callaways," Phelps said. "To be completely honest, when I was able to get my first Pings, they felt amazing, like literally the G25s were absolutely incredible. Every time I hit the ball, it felt smooth. That's what proper fitting can do.

"It's just everything about them. They just fit me and I felt comfortable with them, and I think that's something that's very important. I've never felt this comfortable with a set of clubs before, since I've been playing golf."

He's also more comfortable working with Haney. About half of the series has been shot for The Haney Project on Golf Channel, which premiers Feb. 25.

"Right now the relationship that Hank and I have is probably better than throughout the whole entire show. We're able to relax, we're able to laugh and joke, he'll take a comment at me, I'll throw one back," Phelps said. "I think we've been able to find a great bond, really work well together and mesh well together, and I think that's only going to help us go even farther throughout the show."